I have been told by insiders that it is widely known that the accused is guilty of being a serial molester of both boys and girls over a period of years. The point of contention within the community is whether he should go to jail. His supporters claim that he has received treatment and done teshuva and thus is not a danger to the community while the rabbis - in consultation with mental health workers - say that a person with this history can not trusted - even with therapy. The rabbis and the mental health workers assert that it is important that such a person be removed from the community since abuse is so psychologically destructive to the victims and their families - and therapy is not very reliable.
Rav Zimmerman clearly feels that Grynhaus should go to jail and is therefore is testifying in support of the 2 victims who had great courage in filing a complaint. It is alleged that there are in fact many other victims. Rav Ehrentreu's letter notes that there is strong opposition to the Rav's psak by arrogant and ignorant activists who have produced a flood of letters supporting Grynhaus and attacking the Rav. Rav Ehrentreu states simply they know neither the facts of the case nor the halacha and that Rav Zimmerman has correctly paskened in this case. He notes that the Gateshead Community is blessed having such a Rav who fights for what is required for the well being of the community and he should continue doing so.
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Manchester Evening News A ‘respected’ religious teacher has gone on trial accused of sex attacks on schoolgirls.
Todros Grynhaus, 50, who has taught in Jewish schools, is accused of exposing himself to one alleged victim he was ‘obsessed’ with, treating her as a ‘plaything’ and taking her to a hotel where he abused her in a jacuzzi.
He is said to have told another ‘vulnerable’ girl ‘you may as well make yourself useful’ as he subjected her to a sex attack. She alleges that Mr Grynhaus on another occasion showed her a passage of scripture ‘about sex’, and that on another his wife caught him in her bedroom. Dad-of-ten Mr Grynhaus, of Castleton Road, Salford, denies five indecent assaults and one sexual assault against two victims.
============I received the following document and letter====
The Gateshead Rav, R' Zimmerman Shlita will be coming to Manchester Crown Court tomorrow to testify on one of the victim's behalf. Many 'local askanim' have taken issue with him, and have stooped to disparaging the Rav with anonymous letters filled with vitriol among other things, lo aleinu. There are, unfortunately, otherwise 'chashuve people' who are backing this menuval.
The letter below was written by Dayan Ehrentreu and was distributed to Gateshead residents in support for the Rav.
The connection between the piece from the newspaper and Dayan Ehrentau's letter is?
ReplyDeleteEnd of article - "In police interview, Mr Grynhaus is said to have said informers ‘ruined their lives’ and would be ‘shunned by the community’."
ReplyDeleteWill they?
Apparently he has a tremendous amount of the support from some members of the community.
The attached letter by Rabbi Chanoch Erentreu is due to a campaign against the current rov of Gateshead who authorized reporting to the police in the first place.
The letter was written in defense of the Gateshead rov who allowed reporting to the authorities. The rov suffered from a negative campaign triggered by a millionaire
ReplyDelete@ Mike - just answered your question in an addition to the post
ReplyDeleteproblem being that the same ilk were disparaging Dayan Ehrentreu shlita , and mocking him when he backed the London Eruv. So his letter is unlikely to carry much weight with these extremists.
ReplyDelete@Eddie - but the important point is that the rabbinical authority is in fact supporting going to the police and cooperating with the trial. In contrast the opposition is from the community - but not the rabbinical leadership.
ReplyDeletethat is true and it is very positive - considering that in the past, a major Mara D'Atra in London was opposed to going to the secular authorities in another case of alleged abuse. As far as i am aware, Gateshead is the most respected yeshiva in UK, so the R'Y will certainly carry weight.
ReplyDeleteNot Rosh Yeshiva, the Rov
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteDear Daas Torah, please can you add a translation of Dayan Ehrentau's letter in your blog post as it is important everyone is able to see it.
ReplyDeleteThe letter basically says that people should not jump to conclusions. It goes on to praise the community of Gateshead for acting appropriately and withholding judgment of the accused.
ReplyDeleteIt is written in a very respectful manner and carries a mostly positive tone.
I paraphrased and commented on it. Since it was written for people of the community who are aware of what has been going on a simple translation fails to convey the full picture.
ReplyDeleteYosher Koach for the correction.
ReplyDeleteDon't listen to Soothsayer - he is one one of the pro-molesters.
ReplyDeleteI know Rabbi Zimmerman shlita from Monsey and they don't come any straighter and more ehrlich than this choshuva Rov. Everything he does is lishaim shomaim al pi daas Torah.
ReplyDeleteHopefully he did teshuva.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/135775/teacher-annoyed-being-caught-when-sex-abuse-allegations-made-court-hears
ReplyDeletehi
ReplyDeleterabbi erhentrau can not be trusted
ReplyDeleteamazing how everyone thinks they are so holy, stop getting involved you dumb gateshead rabbi
ReplyDelete